Justin Harrell Scouting Report

Justin Harrell, DT, Tennessee

Harrell's 2006 campaign at Tennessee was derailed just three games into the season by a ruptured biceps tendon, but his stock has been on a steady climb since the end of the season. Scouts love his toughness, as exemplified by the fact that after he ruptured the tendon against Air Force, he returned to the game and even played the next week against Florida. Harrell also benched a solid 31 reps at 225 pounds at his Pro Day on March 22. The 6-5, 305-pound defensive tackle is a beast against the run, but he does need to improve on rushing the quarterback. He does, however, have the strength to overpower offensive lineman and disrupt QBs by collapsing the pocket. Durability questions naturally surround him, as Harrell also missed time in 2003 and 2004. Still, Harrell is the third best defensive tackle in this draft class and he figures to come off the board late in round one or early in round two.